Metro News & Reviews

Jonathan Gold's 101 best restaurants sans car

L.A. Times food critic Jonathan Gold has released this year’s list of 101 Best Restaurants in the L.A. area. How many of them can you reach via Metro? Well…

Q (11): Blocks away from 7th/Metro (Red/Purple, Blue and Expo Lines) and Pershing Square Station (Red/Purple Line). It’s definitely pricey, but if you’ve ever watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi and wished you could teleport to Japan, this place might tide you over until you make it across the Pacific.

Guerrilla Tacos (12): About a 10-minute walk from the Gold Line Little Tokyo/Arts District Station.

Orsa & Winston (24): One of those super nice places you might want to hit up when you’re looking to celebrate a milestone, a few blocks from the Red/Purple Line’s Pershing Square Station.

Grand Central Market (27): A short stroll from the Red/Purple Line’s Pershing Square Station, exit towards 4th/Hill. Apparently the entire market counts as one place to eat, and you can definitely spend a whole day eating here. (I’m still waiting for the ramen stand to open…)

Chengdu Taste (29): San Gabriel Valley is known for it’s Asian cuisine, and this place is is the spot to go if you like your food spicy. Hop on Metro Bus 76 to Valley/Atlantic.

Jitlada (30): Take the Red Line to Hollywood/Western Station and walk about 10 minutes south on Western Avenue, east on Sunset Boulevard. Mmmm, Thai food.

Le Comptoir (35): The place is a counter that seats 10 and it’s prix fixe which means pricey, but Chef Gary makes each meal a special experience and it’s pretty much across from Wilshire/Normandie Station.

Redbird (36): It’s about a 10-minute walk from either Pershing Square Station or Civic Center/Grand Park Station. Make your reservations in advance because apparently the chicken pot pie is really that good.

Pot (37): I haven’t been there yet, but I’m going to soon because I hear they have Hello Kitty cake. Plus I haven’t been disappointed by Chef Roy Choi’s food so far, and the cafe is inside Line Hotel right across from Wilshire/Normandie Station.

Bäco Mercat (40): An easy walk from Pershing Square Station. I like the double mushroom coca.

Ledlow (71): Yes, I’m one of those people who liked it better back when it was Pete’s. But the new place is okay too. (Jonathan Gold ranks it 71, so hey.) A short walk south from the Red Line’s Pershing Square Station.

Racíon (78): I walk by this place a lot but I’ve never gone in. It looks really nice though, and it’s not far from the Gold Line’s Memorial Park Station.

Sapp Coffee Shop (80): It’s called a coffee shop but it’s known for beef noodle soup…sure, why not? Be forewarned, this place is cash only. Use the Red Line’s Hollywood/Western Station and walk five minutes east on Hollywood Boulevard.

Chichén Iztá (82): Located inside La Mercado Paloma. I’ve been here and yes, it’s good. Walkable from either the Expo Line’s Expo/USC Station or Jefferson/USC Station.

Kobawoo (85): I love Korean food, so this now makes the list of places I have to check out. Hop off the Red/Purple Line’s Wilshire/Vermont Station and walk about one block south on Vermont Avenue.

This lists the restaurants that are near Metrorail stations. If you broadened that list to include frequent bus service (Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards particularly) you could add a good many more.

Well, at least there’s one mention of a bus stop in Santa Monica. The rapid 720 on Wilshire stops at 11th St, just a few steps from Melisse and Rustic Canyon. If you can afford the first one, though, you probably don’t take the bus. Then the Border Grill is just a block from the future Downtown SM station on the Expo line.